Tonight I am speaking at a meeting to discuss school start times in Guilford. I firmly believe that our high school start times are too early (7:25 AM) and that this results in chronic sleep deprivation in our teenagers. Structural sleep deprivation is a significant problem for teenagers which results in less than 10% of students getting an adequate amount of sleep nationwide. We know that later school start times have many benefits; perhaps the most pressing of which is preventing car accidents and saving lives.
Here is a copy of the slides which Craig Mullet and I are presenting:
GPS Start Times Jan 7 Presentation
Here is the report commissioned by Fairfax County. This is the best information availability on the experience that various school districts have had moving their school start times later:
Change School Start Time Report Fairfax
Here are the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations and technical reports on recommending later school start times:
“Insufficient Sleep in Adolescents and Young Adults: An Update on Causes and Consequences” by Judith Owens. “School Start Times for Adolescents”, by the Adolescent Sleep Working Group and Committee on Adolescence, and Council School Health
And finally, here is a terrific link addressing myths, misconceptions, and concerns about school start times.
